Ranch, Split-Level or Bi-Level? Bettendorf Window Ideas by Layout

Match the covering to the window pattern your layout is known for. Ranches usually have one big picture window and a row of short bedroom windows. Split-levels have half-flight landings and windows at three or four heights. Bi-levels have a raised main floor over a half-buried lower floor. You'll find all three all over Bettendorf. In the 2000 census, almost half the city's homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s.

Why are there so many 1960s and 1970s homes in Bettendorf?

Because that's when the city grew up. The City of Bettendorf says it "more than doubled its population between 1960 and 1980." The city's profile traces part of that story back to 1948. That's when the Alcoa plant opened in Riverdale. It's known as Arconic now.

Growing families needed houses. The houses of that time were ranches, split-levels and bi-levels. You can see it in the numbers. The State Data Center of Iowa has the 2000 census count by year built. That year, 23.5% of Bettendorf homes dated from the 1970s. Another 22.3% dated from the 1960s. The median home was built in 1972.

The city has added a lot of homes since then. But those 1960s and 1970s houses are still a big part of town.

Davenport and Moline have homes from these years too. They're mixed in with older neighborhoods. Eldridge grew later. The City of Eldridge says it passed 1,000 residents by the late 1960s. Today it has more than 6,000. So a lot of its housing came after this era.

If you live in one of these houses, you know they have their own window quirks. Luckily, the quirks repeat. Once you know your layout, you've solved most of your window puzzles.

How do I tell a ranch from a split-level or a bi-level?

Count the steps from the front door.

• Ranch: one main floor. You walk in and you're on the level where you live and sleep. Some have a basement below. Windows tend to be long and low. The front often has one big picture window.
• Split-level: three or more levels, each about half a flight apart. You might walk into the living room and go up half a flight to the bedrooms. Another half flight down gets you to a family room. Windows show up at lots of different heights.
• Bi-level (also called a split-entry or raised ranch): you walk into a small landing and pick a direction. Half a flight up is the main living floor. Half a flight down is a lower level that sits partly below ground. The lower windows are often wide and short. The top half sits above the yard.

Some homes mix these. Plenty have had additions too. That's fine. Look at the window patterns more than the label.

What works on a ranch's big picture window?

The picture window is the star of most ranch homes. It's usually the widest window in the house. It often faces the street, and it sets the look of the whole living room.

It also brings three problems:

1. Width. One shade across a very wide window can be heavy and hard to lift. Two or three shades side by side on one headrail are easier. So is a motorized shade.
2. Privacy from the street. A big window facing the sidewalk is a fishbowl at night. A top-down bottom-up shade can close off the lower half. You still get to see the sky.
3. Sun. If the window faces south or west, it can heat up the room in the afternoon.

Common picks for this window:

• Light-filtering cellular or roller shades for soft daytime light and some privacy.
• Side drapery panels to frame the window and soften the long, flat lines. They add a layer in winter too.
• Top-down bottom-up cellular shades when the street is close.

Here's a good rule. Keep the shade simple and let the drapery bring the color.

Now think about January. A big single pane of glass can feel cold to sit next to. So can an older double pane. Close a cellular shade at night and pull drapery over it. The couch by the window gets a lot more pleasant. In summer you can leave the same setup open by day. If the front faces west, you can still close off the late sun.

How do I cover a long row of ranch bedroom windows?

Many ranch bedrooms have short windows set high on the wall. Sometimes there's a row of two or three. That gives you privacy from the yard. It also means a short drop and some odd sizes.

What works:

• Matching shades on each window at the same height. The row reads as one clean line from inside and from the street.
• Inside-mount shades when the frame is deep enough. The shade tucks in neatly.
• Room-darkening fabric in east-facing bedrooms, where the sun shows up early.

If the windows are very close together, one long shade across the row can look tidy. Just check that it still lifts easily. Want a clean look from the street? Ask for the same color backing on every shade in the house.

What fits split-level landings and stacked windows?

Split-levels are the trickiest of the three. They're also the most fun.

Half-flight stairs often have a window on the landing. Sometimes it's tall. Sometimes it sits at an angle to the stairs. Living rooms may have high ceilings with one window stacked over another.

A few ideas:

• Stair landing windows: go cordless or motorized so nobody leans over a railing to reach a cord. Light-filtering fabric keeps the stairs bright.
• Stacked windows: use the lower window every day and the upper one for sun control. The upper one can stay put most of the time. Motorize it and you'll never need a ladder.
• Different heights in one room: line up the tops of the shades where you can. Or pick one fabric and color so the room still feels calm.

In a split-level you can often see one level from another. Use the same fabric family on every level. The house will look connected.

What does a bi-level's half-up lower floor need?

The lower floor of a bi-level is usually a family room, a spare bedroom or an office. It gets heavy use in winter.

Its windows are an odd shape. They're wide and short and set high on the wall. The bottom sits close to the ground outside. That means a few things:

• Privacy from the yard is easier. People outside are looking down at a low window.
• Light is harder. The window is small and may be shaded by shrubs or a window well.
• Dampness can be an issue. Pick materials that handle a little moisture.

Shades that lift fully clear of the glass are the go-to here. Light-filtering cellular or roller shades work well. Skip heavy fabrics that block what little light you get.

These lower floors raise their own questions. We answered eight common ones about basement and lower-level windows in a separate post.

How do I handle sliders and wide horizontal windows from that era?

Homes from the 1960s and 1970s often have a sliding patio door to the backyard. Many also have wide windows that slide side to side. Both need coverings that move the way the window or door does.

For sliding doors:

• Vertical cellular shades or vertical blinds open side to side, so the door stays in use.
• Panel track shades use wide fabric panels that glide on a track. They have a cleaner, more modern look.
• Drapery on a traverse rod gives you a softer look and extra warmth in winter.

For wide horizontal windows, a standard shade often works. Just make sure it doesn't block the latch or the handle. If a window is very wide, two shades side by side are easier to raise than one.

A sliding door is one of the biggest pieces of glass in the house. In a Quad Cities winter it can make the kitchen feel drafty. That's true even when the door seals well. A covering that closes all the way across the glass at night helps. Summer is a different story. If the door faces south or west, that's often where the afternoon heat gets in first. Plan for both seasons.

One more tip for homes of this era: check the trim. Some sliders and older windows have shallow frames or metal tracks. That leaves little room for an inside mount. In that case, mount the shade outside the frame. It covers the whole opening and makes the window look bigger.

Which colors and textures suit a mid-century home?

You don't have to decorate like it's 1965 to own a 1965 house. But a few choices fit the clean lines of these homes:

• Warm whites and soft neutrals on shades. The long, low windows look calm and simple.
• Natural textures like woven wood shades. They echo the wood paneling and built-ins some of these homes still have.
• One bold drapery color like olive or rust. Teal and mustard work too. It's a nod to the era without going all in.
• Slim headrails and simple hardware that suit the flat lines of the house.

Think of it as a mood board. Pick the window you look at most and choose a look for it. Then let the rest of the house follow that one choice.

Here's an example we made up to show the idea. Say a 1970s split-level has a living room with a wide picture window. It also has a landing window and a lower family room with short windows. One simple plan is warm white cellular shades on every window. Now the house looks the same from the street. Then add rust drapery panels in the living room only. The shades handle light and privacy. The drapery gives the main room its personality.

How do the three layouts compare, and where do I start?

In every layout, start with the room you use most. For a lot of Quad Cities families, that changes with the season. Our season-by-season plan for Quad Cities windows can help you pick which room to tackle first. Then look at the full range of shades for that room.

Before you choose, ask yourself:

• Which way does this window face?
• Who uses this room, and at what time of day?
• Does it need privacy from the street, the yard or the neighbors?
• Can everyone in the house reach the controls?

Want help with your layout?

Every ranch, split-level and bi-level is a little different. Bring a floor plan or just a few phone photos. Our Bettendorf window coverings team will talk through what fits each window. Book your free consultation.

Kevin Sill is CFO and co-owner of the family-owned Budget Blinds franchises serving the Quad Cities.